2008 NISSAN ALTIMA Owners Manual

Some examples are:
– Facilities or electric devices using similar radio
frequencies are near the vehicle.
– If a transmitter set to similar frequencies is
being used in or near the vehicle.
– If a computer (or similar equipment) or a
DC/AC converter is being used in or near the
vehicle.
FCC Notice:
Changes or modifications not expressly ap-
proved by the party responsible for compli-
ance could void the user’s authority to op-
erate the equipment.
This device complies with Part 15 of the
FCC Rules and RSS-210 of Industry
Canada.
Operation is subject to the following two
conditions: (1) This device may not cause
harmful interference, and (2) this device
must accept any interference received, in-
cluding interference that may cause undes-
ired operation of the device.AVOIDING COLLISION AND
ROLLOVER
WARNING
Failure to operate this vehicle in a safe
and prudent manner may result in loss of
control or an accident.
Be alert and drive defensively at all times. Obey
all traffic regulations. Avoid excessive speed,
high speed cornering, or sudden steering ma-
neuvers, because these driving practices could
cause you to lose control of your vehicle.As with
any vehicle, loss of control could result in a
collision with other vehicles or objects, or
cause the vehicle to roll over, particularly if
the loss of control causes the vehicle to
slide sideways.
Be attentive at all times, and
avoid driving when tired. Never drive when under
the influence of alcohol or drugs (including pre-
scription or over-the-counter drugs which may
cause drowsiness) . Always wear your seat belt as
outlined in the “Safety – Seats, seat belts and
supplemental restraint system” section of this
manual, and also instruct your passengers to do so.
Seat belts help reduce the risk of injury in collisions
and rollovers.In a rollover crash, an unbelted
or improperly belted person is significantly
more likely to be injured or killed than a
person properly wearing a seat belt.
DRINKING ALCOHOL/DRUGS AND
DRIVING
WARNING
Never drive under the influence of alcohol
or drugs. Alcohol in the bloodstream re-
duces coordination, delays reaction time
and impairs judgement. Driving after
drinking alcohol increases the likelihood
of being involved in an accident injuring
yourself and others. Additionally, if you
are injured in an accident, alcohol can
increase the severity of the injury.
NISSAN is committed to safe driving. However,
you must choose not to drive under the influence
of alcohol. Every year thousands of people are
injured or killed in alcohol-related accidents. Al-
though the local laws vary on what is considered
to be legally intoxicated, the fact is that alcohol
affects all people differently and most people
underestimate the effects of alcohol.
Remember, drinking and driving don’t mix! And
that is true for drugs, too (over-the-counter, pre-
scription, and illegal drugs) . Don’t drive if your
ability to operate your vehicle is impaired by alco-
hol, drugs, or some other physical condition.
Starting and driving5-5
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WARNING
Do not operate the push-button ignition
switch while driving the vehicle except in
an emergency. (The engine will stop when
the ignition switch is pushed 3 consecu-
tive times in quick succession or the igni-
tion switch is pushed and held for more
than 2 seconds.) If the engine stops while
the vehicle is being driven, this could lead
to a crash and serious injury.
When the ignition switch is pushed without de-
pressing the brake pedal (CVT) or the clutch
pedal (MT) , the ignition switch position will illu-
minate as follows:
Push center
conce to change to ACC.
ctwo times to change to ON.
cthree times to return to OFF.
The ignition switch will automatically return to the
LOCK position when any door is either opened or
closed with the switch in the OFF position.The ignition switch is equipped with an anti-theft
steering lock device.
The ignition lock is designed so that the ignition
switch position cannot be switched to OFF until
the selector lever is moved to the P (Park) posi-
tion (CVT) or N (Neutral) position (MT) .
When the ignition switch cannot be pushed to-
ward the OFF position, proceed as follows:
1. Move the selector lever into the P (Park)
position (CVT) or N (Neutral) position (MT) .
2. Push the ignition switch. The ignition switch
position will change to the ON position.
3. Push the ignition switch again to the OFF
position.
The selector lever can be moved from the P
(Park) position if the ignition switch is in
the ON position and the brake pedal is
depressed.
In order for the steering wheel to be locked, it
must be turned about 1/8 of a right or left turn
from the straight up position.
To lock the steering wheel, push the igni-
tion switch to the LOCK position. To unlock
the steering wheel, push the ignition switch
while slightly turning the steering wheel
right and left.
WSD0223
PUSH-BUTTON IGNITION SWITCH
5-6Starting and driving
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If the battery of the vehicle is discharged,
the push-button ignition switch cannot be
turned from the LOCK position.
Some indicators and warnings for operation are
displayed on the vehicle information display. See
“Vehicle information display” in the “Instruments
and controls” section.
PUSH-BUTTON IGNITION SWITCH
POSITIONS
LOCK (Normal parking position):
The ignition switch can only be locked in this
position.
The ignition switch will be unlocked when it is
pushed to the ACC position while carrying the
Intelligent Key or with the Intelligent Key inserted
in the port.
The ignition switch will lock when any door is
opened or closed with the ignition switched off.
OFF:
The ignition switch is in the off position when the
engine is turned off using the ignition switch. No
lights will illuminate on the ignition switch.
ACC (Accessories):
This position activates electrical accessories
such as the radio, when the engine is not running.ON (Normal operating position):
This position turns on the ignition system and
electrical accessories.
CAUTION
Do not leave the vehicle with the ignition
switch in ACC or ON positions when the
engine is not running for an extended pe-
riod. This can discharge the battery.
INTELLIGENT KEY BATTERY
DISCHARGE
If the battery of the Intelligent Key is almost dis-
charged, the guide light
sAof the Intelligent Key
port blinks and the indicator appears on the ve-
hicle information display. See “Vehicle informa-
tion display” in the “Instruments and controls”
section.
In this case, inserting the Intelligent Key into the
port
sBallows you to start the engine. Make sure
the Intelligent Key is placed in the correct direc-
tion: The front side faces upward and the key ring
side faces backward as illustrated.
LSD0185
Starting and driving5-7
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To remove the Intelligent Key from the port, push
the ignition switch to the LOCK position and pull
the Intelligent Key out of the port
sC.NOTE:
The Intelligent Key port does not charge
the Intelligent Key battery. If you see the
low battery indicator, replace the battery as
soon as possible. See “Intelligent Key bat-
tery replacement” in the “Maintenance and
do-it-yourself” section.
CAUTION
cNever place anything except the Intelli-
gent Key in the Intelligent Key port. Do-
ing so may cause damage to the
equipment.
cMake sure the Intelligent Key is in the
correct direction when inserting it to
the Intelligent Key port. The engine may
not start if it is in the wrong direction.
cRemove the Intelligent Key from the
Intelligent Key port after the ignition
switch is pushed to the LOCK position.cMake sure the area around the vehicle is
clear.
cCheck fluid levels such as engine oil, cool-
ant, brake fluid, and window washer fluid as
frequently as possible, or at least whenever
you refuel.
cCheck that all windows and lights are clean.
cVisually inspect tires for their appearance
and condition. Also check tires for proper
inflation.
cLock all doors.
cPosition seat and adjust head restraints.
cAdjust inside and outside mirrors.
cFasten seat belts and ask all passengers to
do likewise.
cCheck the operation of warning lights when
the ignition switch is pushed to the ON
position. See “Warning/indicator lights and
audible reminders” in the “Instruments and
controls” section of this manual.
LSD0186
BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE
5-8Starting and driving
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1. Apply the parking brake.
2.Continuously Variable Transmission
(CVT) model:
Move the shift selector lever to P (Park) or N
(Neutral) . P (Park) is recommended.
The starter is designed not to operate if
the shift selector lever is in any of the
driving positions.
Manual transmission:
Move the shift lever to N (Neutral) . Depress
the clutch pedal to the floor.
The starter is designed not to operate
unless the clutch pedal is fully de-
pressed.
3. Push the ignition switch to the ON position.
Depress the brake pedal and the clutch
pedal (if so equipped) and push the ignition
switch to start the engine.
To start the engine immediately, push and
release the ignition switch while depressing
the brake pedal with the ignition switch in
any position.cIf the engine is very hard to start in ex-
tremely cold weather or when restarting,
depress the accelerator pedal a little (ap-
proximately 1/3 to the floor) and while
holding, crank the engine. Release the
accelerator pedal when the engine starts.
cIf the engine is very hard to start because
it is flooded, depress the accelerator
pedal all the way to the floor and hold it.
Push the ignition switch to the ON posi-
tion to start cranking the engine. After 5 or
6 seconds, stop cranking by pushing the
ignition switch to LOCK. After cranking
the engine, release the accelerator pedal.
Crank the engine with your foot off the
accelerator pedal by depressing the
brake pedal and pushing the push-button
ignition switch to start the engine. If the
engine starts, but fails to run, repeat the
above procedure.
CAUTION
Do not operate the starter for more than
15 seconds at a time. If the engine does
not start, push the ignition switch to the
OFF position and wait 10 seconds before
cranking again, otherwise the starter
could be damaged.4.Warm-up
Allow the engine to idle for at least 30 sec-
onds after starting. Do not race the engine
while warming it up. Drive at moderate
speed for a short distance first, especially in
cold weather. In cold weather, keep the en-
gine running for a minimum of2-3minutes
before shutting it off. Starting and stopping
the engine over a short period of time may
make the vehicle more difficult to start.
5. To stop the engine, shift the selector lever to
the P (Park) position (CVT) or to N (Neutral)
and apply the parking brake (MT) and push
the ignition switch to the OFF position.
STARTING THE ENGINE
Starting and driving5-9
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CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE
TRANSMISSION (CVT) (if so
equipped)
WARNING
cDo not depress the accelerator pedal
while shifting from P (Park) or N (Neu-
tral) to R (Reverse) , D (Drive) or manual
shift mode. Always depress the brake
pedal until shifting is completed. Fail-
ure to do so could cause you to lose
control and have an accident.
cCold engine idle speed is high, so use
caution when shifting into a forward or
reverse gear before the engine has
warmed up.
cDo not downshift abruptly on slippery
roads. This may cause a loss of control.
cNever shift to P (Park) or R (Reverse)
while the vehicle is moving. This could
cause an accident.
CAUTION
When stopping the vehicle on an uphill
grade, do not hold the vehicle by depress-
ing the accelerator pedal. The foot brake
should be used for this purpose.The CVT in your vehicle is electronically con-
trolled to produce maximum power and smooth
operation.
The recommended operating procedures for this
transmission are shown on the following pages.
Follow these procedures for maximum vehicle
performance and driving enjoyment.
NOTE:
Engine power may be automatically re-
duced to protect the CVT if the engine
speed increases quickly when driving on
slippery roads or while being tested on
some dynamometers.
Starting the vehicle
1. After starting the engine, fully depress the
foot brake pedal before moving the shift
selector lever out of the P (Park) position.
2. Keep the foot brake pedal depressed and
move the shift selector lever into a driving
gear.
3. Release the foot brake, then gradually start
the vehicle in motion.
4. Stop the vehicle completely before shifting
the selector lever to the P (Park) position.The CVT is designed so the foot brake
pedal MUST be depressed before shifting
from P (Park) to any drive position while
the ignition switch is in the ON position.
The shift selector lever cannot be moved
out of P (Park) and into any of the other
gear positions if the ignition switch is
pushed to the LOCK or ACC position.
DRIVING THE VEHICLE
5-10Starting and driving
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To move the selector lever:
Push the button while depressing the brake
pedal
Push the button to shift
Shift without pushing button
Shifting
After starting the engine, fully depress the brake
pedal and move the shift selector lever from P
(Park) to any of the desired shift positions.
WARNING
Apply the parking brake if the selector
lever is in any position while the engine is
not running. Failure to do so could cause
the vehicle to move unexpectedly or roll
away and result in serious personal injury
or property damage.
P (Park):
Use this selector position when the vehicle is
parked or when starting the engine. Make sure
the vehicle is completely stopped.The brake
pedal should be depressed to move the
selector lever from N (Neutral) or any drive
position to P (Park) .Apply the parking brake.
When parking on a hill, apply the parking brake
first, then shift the selector lever into the P (Park)
position.
R (Reverse):
CAUTION
Use this position only when the vehicle is
completely stopped.Use this position to back up. Make sure the
vehicle is completely stopped before selecting
the R (Reverse) position.The brake pedal
must be depressed to move the selector
lever from P (Park) , N (Neutral) or any drive
position to R (Reverse) .
N (Neutral):
Neither forward nor reverse gear is engaged. The
engine can be started in this position. You may
shift to N (Neutral) and restart a stalled engine
while the vehicle is moving.
D (Drive):
Use this position for all normal forward driving.
LSD0182
Starting and driving5-11
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Manual shift mode
When the selector lever is shifted from D to the
manual shift gate with the vehicle stopped or
while driving, the transmission enters the manual
shift mode. Shift ranges can be selected manu-
ally.
In the manual shift mode, the shift range is dis-
played on the position indicator in the meter.
When shifting the shift lever to the manual shift
gate, the position indicator displays 1 (first) up to
6 (sixth) depending on vehicle speed.
Shift ranges up or down one by one as follows:
1,2,3,4,5,66 (Sixth):
Use this position for all normal forward driving at
highway speeds.
5 (Fifth):
Use this position when driving up long slopes, or
for engine braking when driving down long
slopes.
4 (Fourth) , 3 (Third) and 2 (Second):
Use for hill climbing or engine braking on downhill
grades.
M1 (First):
Use this position when climbing steep hills slowly
or driving slowly through deep snow, sand or
mud, or for maximum engine braking on steep
downhill grades.
cRemember not to drive at high speeds for
extended periods of time in lower than 4
range. This reduces fuel economy.
When shifting up:
Move the selector lever to the + (up) side. (Shifts
to higher range.)
When shifting down:
Move the selector lever to the2(down) side.
(Shifts to lower range.)cThe transmission will automatically down-
shift the gears. (For example, if you select the
3rd range, the transmission will shift down
between the 3rd and 1st gears.)
cMoving the selector lever rapidly to the same
side twice will shift the ranges in succession.
When canceling the manual shift mode:
Return the selector lever to the D (Drive) position
to return the transmission to the normal driving
mode.
cIn the manual shift mode, the transmis-
sion may not shift to the selected gear.
This helps maintain driving perfor-
mance and reduces the chance of ve-
hicle damage or loss of control.
cIn the manual shift mode, the transmis-
sion may shift up automatically to a
higher range than selected if the en-
gine speed is too high. When the ve-
hicle speed decreases, the transmis-
sion automatically shifts down and
shifts to 1st gear before the vehicle
comes to a stop.
LSD0182
5-12Starting and driving
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